Saturday, January 06, 2007

The Importance of Sisters

One of my "Buddies" emailed this to me, and I LOVE it! It's so true, and it reminds me that my girlfriends are so important to me...blog buddies included!

This picture is of The Buddies, taken a year ago on our annual weekend away...this time a cruise to Mexico. These girls are amazing friends to me, and my life would be missing something BIG without them!

The Importance of Sisters

A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day,drinking iced tea and visiting with her Mother.

As they talked about life, about marriage,about the responsibilities of life and theobligations of adulthood, the mother clinked the ice cubes in her glass thoughtfully and turned a clear, sober glance upon her daughter.

"Don't forget your Sisters," she advised, swirlingthe tea leaves to the bottom of her glass.

"They'll be more important as you get older. Nomatter how much you love your husband, no matter how much you love the children you may have, youare still going to need Sisters. Remember to goplaces with them now and then; do things with them.

"Remember that 'Sisters' means ALL the women... your girlfriends, your daughters, and all your other women relatives too.

"You'll need other women. Women always do."

What a funny piece of advice the young womanthought.

'Haven't I just gotten married? Haven't I just joined the couple-world? I'm now amarried woman, for goodness sake! A grownup! Surely my husband and the family we may start will be all I need to make my life worthwhile!'

But she listened to her Mother. She kept contactwith her Sisters and made more women friends each year. As the years tumbled by, one afteranother, she gradually came to understand that her Mom really knew what she was talking about.

As time and nature work their changes and theirmysteries upon a woman, Sisters are the mainstaysof her life.

After more than 50 years of living in this world,here is what I've learned:

Sisters are there, no matter how much time and howmany miles are between you.

A girl friend is never farther away than needingher can reach.

When you have to walk that lonesome valley and youhave to walk it by yourself, the women in your life will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on, praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the valley's end.

Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walkbeside you...Or come in and carry you out.

We've been doing our getaways for 15 years! Sometimes a couple girls can't make it, but for the most part everyone makes it a priority to show up. We sometimes have a couple nursing babies tagging along, but at least we still go. You gotta just do it!

I'm so thankful for those girls. They're the only people I keep in touch with from high school.

I have never in my life had that many friends... ever. That is awesome!!! I think it's great you all make time for that and even BETTER when the nursing babies tag along sometimes! That is awesome. What a great picture. I can't imagine having that many friends let along being friends with them for 15 years... it's just unheard of for me.

I think we've been friends for so long now that we're like a family...no one has the option anymore to NOT show...that would be like your pesky little sis not coming to Thanksgiving. *grin*

That sounds silly, but I think it's pretty much true...we hold each other accountable to this group, and we have LONG since passed the point where an individual wonders if she wants out or not. *BIG grin*

And these girls aren't my only friends, in fact, I don't talk to most of them regularly...but when we all finally get together at least once a year, it's like we just saw each other the day before...we just pick up where we left off.

And THANK GOD for email and cell phones, otherwise, I would talk to them even less!

10 girls in a group is a little rare, but I hope you have at least one great girlfriend close to you, Dramamama...I couldn't live without my chicas!

that's so great that you have such a big group of friends that all know each other so well. i have about as many close friends, but they are all from different times in my life and have only met a few times. but, i am so thankful for all of them and try to get together with them as much as posiable as well. speaking of which, we have to get together soon too! ;)